Who choreographed Swansong?

Christopher Bruce

What year was Swansong first performed?

1987

Who composed the accompaniment for Swansong?

Philip Chambon

Describe the accompaniment from Swansong:

Electro – acoustic with digitally sampled sounds, vocals, a reed pipe & popular dance rhythms. Unaccompanied interludes enable us to hear taping of the feet.

Describe the costume from Swansong:

Everyday clothes associated with roles. Khaki uniforms for interrogators & red t-shirt & blue denim jeans for victim.

Describe the set from Swansong:

Bare stage except for a chair suggests a cell. Interrogators always exit stage right (a door). The chair serves many purposes & is used symbolically as a weapon, a shield & shackles. Props (canes & red noses) are used to degrade the victim.

What dance styles are used in Swansong?

Contemporary with physical contact, balletic movements & cha cha.

What is the theme of Swansong? Human rights, prisoner of conscience, interrogation.

What is the starting point/inspiration of Swansong?

The work of Amnesty International & the experiences of Chilean poet Victor Jara.

How many sections are there in Swansong?

Introduction followed by seven sections. The victim remains on stage throughout & performs a solo in section 3 which has motifs that are repeated & or developed in section 7. What are dynamics?

How the body is moving. The quality of the movement.

Why are dynamics important in dance?

They add texture & interest to a dance & can help to show the dance idea, the mood or atmosphere of a dance more clearly.

What are relationships in dance?

The way in which you dance with others. They can add visual interest & variety & help make a dance idea clear. For example dancing in unison can look powerful & communicate the idea of strength.

What is a stimulus?

Something that inspires you to create dances.

What is a motif?

Movement or phrase of movements that represents the style or content of a dance. It can be repeated & developed in many different ways.

How can you develop a motif?

Use different body parts, change the order, change the dynamics, change the space. Describe canon.

Where one or more dancers move after each other. Like a Mexican wave.

Describe accumulation. This is like follow the leader where one dancer begins a series of movements & other dancers join in to all end at the same moment.